Salt City Run

My gray New Balance 992s hit the pavement, bluish-green water laps against the shore, and seagulls squawk in the distance. An odor emanates from the lake. It reeks of garbage, but the clear October blue sky and families picnicking together on the freshly cut grass that surrounds me makes up for this. I follow the asphalt trail as it winds through maple trees and park benches, past a marina and a group of children playing catch. As I pass my final mile marker, I break into a sprint for the final half-mile of my journey. My right foot thuds on top of the white spray painted line indicating that I have traveled 2.5 miles around Onondaga Lake. I stop, place my hands on my hips, and bend over gasping for air. When I catch my breath, I walk over to a small boulder at the edge of the lake. I step up onto it and look in the direction that I have just come from. Across the lake, I see the entire skyline of Syracuse. While looking at this panorama at dusk, I realize that the most beautiful thing about the city is the way that it looks from afar.